Machine gun



`une 10', 1924.

J. ERIKSEN MACHINE GUN Filed Jan'. 14 1924 Patented June 10, 1924.

PATENTv OFFICE.-

JOHAN ERIKSEN,y OF CIHRISTIANIA,y NORWAY.

MACHINE GUN.

Application filed January 14, 1924.A Serial No. 686,145.

To @ZZ y1li/2011i if may comer/n.'

Be it known that I, JOHAN ERIKsnN, a subject of the King of Norway, residing at Christiania, Norway, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machine Guns; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to machine guns of the kind in which the loading and ring mechanism is actuated by aid of a reciprocating piston, whose backward stroke is caused by the action of the powder gases. The object of my invention is to provide an improved simple and strong breech mechanism for arms of this kind.

In the following -my invention shall be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a partly diagrammatic side view of the breech part of a gun in accordance withl my invention, in section through the oreech casing, and with the respective parts in firing position.

Fig. 2 is a corresponding side view, showk ing the parts in their eXtreme retracted positions.

Fig. 3 is a part sectional view showing the firing mechanism.

In the drawings 1 is the breech casing, 2 the barrel of the gun (partly broken away) and 3 the recoil piston (likewise partly broken away). This. piston is thrown back by the powder gases in well known manner, thereby cocking the recoil spring 3a, placed as shown inside or outside the same, also in well known manner.

This piston is in kno-wn manner provided with means for actuating the cartridge feed mechanism. This mechanism may be of any known or suitable arrangement and does not form part of this invention, but by way of illustration, is shown a cartridge feed, actuated by a cam 4 on the piston, said cam engaging a spring controlled wheel or disc 6, fastened to the rear end of a cartridge drum 5, the cam 4 turning the disc 6 and compressing its spring (not shown) during the backward stroke of the piston 3, thereby enabling said spring to turn at the right moment the cartridge drum 5 in position toY allow a fresh cartridge to be driven into the chamber ofthe gun barrel.

Now according to my invention the rearend oftheY said recoil pistonrhas turnably` attached to it a connecting rod 7, whose other end is turnably connected toI a discshaped eccentric or crank 8,' turning about pivots 9 journalled in the side walls ofthe casing 1. On the other handthis eccentric 8 is turnably connected to the rear` end off'al rod 10, carrying the tiring mechanism, and the front end of which is turnably connected at 11 to the breech block 20.

The firing mechanism, as shown in Fig. 3, comprises, a plunger 22, actuated by a compression spring 23, and terminating in a hook 24 for catching on an angle 25 of rod 10, from which angle it is released, at the proper time, by pin 16.

From Fig. 1, illustrating the mechanism ready for firing it will be seen, that in this position the rod 10 is situated substantially in the zero position of the eccentric or crank disc 8, said rod being also locked to the casing 1 by aid of one or more cams or projee-tions 13 engaging corresponding grooves in the casing.

The mechanism operates in the following manner:

On pressing the trigger 14 the trigger arm 15 will depress the spring actuated pin 16 against thel action of its spring, thereby actuating the tiring mechanism enclosed in the rod 10 and causing the firing pin of the breech block to be released, whereby the shot is fired.

On the firing of the shot the recoil piston 3 is thrown backwards by the action of the powder gases, thereby moving the connecting rod 7 and the eccentric 8 to the positions illustrated in Fig. 2, and simultaneously cocking the firing spring and extracting the empty shell by the ejector tooth 18 in the breech block, and simultaneously arming the firing mechanism enclosed in the rod 10A by aid of a tooth 17 on the rear end of the iston 3 striking against a nose 21 of the firing mechanism.

As shown in Fig. 2 the backward throw of the eccentric disc 8 is limited by an abutment 19, arranged at the rear end of the casing 1. This abutment may suitably be arranged resilient. Immediately after having struck against the abutment the mechanism is by the action of the recoil sprin thrown forwards to the position shown in Fig. 1, the

breech 'block 20 hereby driving a fresh cartridge from the drum 5 into the chamber of the barrel, the drum 5 having meantime been rotated one step by the disc 6.

It will he understood that as long as the trigger is kept pressed so as to depress the trigger arm 15, the firing Will be continued, a shot beingT tired each time the pin 16 on the trigger rod 10 strikes against the trigger arm 15.

As will be understood my novel breech ac* tion may be used in connection with all types of machine guns and with all types of cartridge feed arrangements.

Claims:

1. In machine guns havinga gas actuated recoil piston, a recoil spring, and a breech block, in combination, an eccentric, a rod 'Connecting the eccentric to the piston, and

a second rod connecting the eccentric to the 20 breech block7 the second rod carrying a Sear and a firing mechanism controlled by the sear.

2. In machine guns having a. gas actuated recoil piston, a recoil spring, and a breech block, in combination, an eccentric, a rod connecting the eccentric to the piston, and a second rod connecting the eccentric to the breech block, the second rod carrying a ring mechanism, and effecting opening and closing movements of lthe breech block.

In testimonyY that l claim the foregoing as my invention, I have. signed my name in presencel of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOHAN ERKSEN.

Witnesses MAGNUS BRUGGE, OLGA MLLER. 

